Canadian High Commissioner Nadir Patel has cancelled tonight's dinner invitation to Atwal, who is a convicted Khalistani terrorist.

Justin Trudeau &nbsp | &nbspPhoto Credit:&nbspAP

New Delhi: After the reports regarding the dinner invitation to pro-Khalistan terrorist Jaspal Atwal surfaced, Canada has gone into damage-control mode with its Prime Minister Justin Trudeau telling media that Atwal should never have been invited. Trudeau said, "Obviously, we take this extremely seriously. He should never have received an invitation. As soon as we received the info we rescinded it, a member of Parliament had included this individual."

"Canada and India are countries committed to pursuing and upholding democracy. We are the two largest democracies in the world, one by size and one by population," Justin Trudeau said today at FICCI.

Canadian High Commissioner Nadir Patel has cancelled tonight's dinner invitation to Atwal, who is a convicted Khalistani terrorist. Patel was hosting the dinner for the visiting Canadian prime minister and his delegation. "The High Commission has rescinded Mr Atwal’s invitation. We do not comment on matters relating to the PM's security," the Canadian High Commission here said.

Canadian Member of Parliament (MP) Randeep S. Sarai has taken responsibility for inviting Atwal to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's reception dinner in New Delhi, which is scheduled to take place later today. "I alone facilitated his request to attend this important event. I should have exercised better judgment, and I take full responsibility for my actions," Sarai said in a statement, which Canadian journalist Abigail Bimman shared on Twitter.

Canadian Minister for Science and Sports Kirsty Duncan said, "This person, of course, should not have been invited. The invitation has now been rescinded. We are looking into how it happened." Atwal was convicted for trying to kill the then Punjab minister Malkiat Singh Sidhu in Vancouver in 1986.

#WATCH Canadian Minister Kirsty Duncan speaks about dinner reception invite to Khalistani terrorist Jaspal Atwal, says, 'this person of course shouldn't have been invited.Invitation has now been rescinded. We are looking into how it happened.' Refuses to answer further questions. pic.twitter.com/oR1QD9Q69C

The cancellation comes at a time when Trudeau's pro-Khalistan approach is being criticised by many including Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, who raised the issue with the Canadian Prime Minister during a meeting. On his part, Trudeau assured Singh that his country does not support separatism in India or elsewhere.

Canada in damage control mode over Khalistani terrorist dinner invitation fiascoDescription:Canadian High Commissioner Nadir Patel has cancelled tonight's dinner invitation to Atwal, who is a convicted Khalistani terrorist.Times Now